Improvement in telegraph-wires from alloys



UNITED i ST CHARLES J. A. DICK, or rrr'rsnune, PENNSYLVANIA.

lilPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPH-*WIRES FROM ALLOis.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,?Q2, dated August20, 1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Telegraph-Wires,invented by CHAS.

J. A. DICK, formerly of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, but now residing inPittsburg, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania.

My invention consists of improvements, described hereafter, in wires forconducting electrical currents and other wires for telegraph purposes.

I have discovered that copper alloyed with tin in limited proportions,and treated as hereinafter fully described, is a valuable substitute forthe electrical conductors hitherto used. I have furthermore discoveredthat by adding a certain limited quantity of I phosphorus to alloys ofcopper and tin in limited proportions the resulting product acquiresadditional tensile strength and elasticity without material detriment toits conductive capacity and also that by adding a further proportion oftin, or of phosphorus, or of both these ingredients, within certainlimits, to copper, the wire drawn from such phosphorized alloys can beused with advantage as a support for copper or other similar goodconductors of insufficient tensile strength, replacing the steelwiresupports now in use for like telegraph purposes.

The nature of copper permits its use for telegraph purposes (except forshort lengths or connections) only when supported by other materials ofgreater strength and elasticity.

The object of this invention is to produce wire which has greaterconductibility than the .iron wire now in use, and which has greattensile strength and elasticity, and is, therefore, self-supporting;and, moreover, is not as liable to corrode and deteriorate as iron wire,and in fact offers all the advantages of a good and permanent conductorhaving great strength and toughness. The object of this invention isfurthermore to produce wires of phosphorized alloys of copper and tinfor supports of copper or other like good conductors of insufficienttensile strength, as hereafter stated, which wires have approximatelythe same resistance as the steel wire now used, and which are notsubject to rusting or rapid deterioration.

By treating the metals composing the alloy of copper and. tin in such away as to prevent the presence of oxides in the perfected alloybe it bythe mode of smelting and protecting the molten materials from contactwith the atmospheric air, or be it by the addition to the molten alloyof a reducing agent, such, for; instance, as phosphorus-the wire drawnfrom such alloy will be found to be tougher and more rigid and moreelastic, and not so liable to be stretched and. lengthened as wires ofalloys in which oxides are present.

I use alloys of copper containing from two to five and a half per cent.of tin, free from oxides. I roll and draw them into wire in the usualway. I prefer to cast the alloy into chill molds, as the homogeneity andother qualities of the metal are therebyimproved.

Phosphorized alloys of copper and tin are stronger and more elastic thanthose contain ing no phosphorus. The conductibility of the alloy issomewhat impaired by the presence of phosphorus; but I have found thatvaluable compounds for electrical wires may be made of phosphorizedalloys of copper and tin within the following proportions:

First, when not more than two per cent. of tin is used, the componentquantity of phosphorus may amount to not more than one-half per cent.Second, when not more than four per cent. of tin is used, the componentquantit-y of phosphorus may amount to not more than two-tenths per cent.Third, when five and a half per cent. of tin is used, the componentquantity of phosphorus must not exceed one-eighth per cent. Intermediateproportions may be adopted without departing from my invention.

For wire in the application of which conductibility is a less importantconsideration than great strength and resistance, I use four to five anda half per cent. of tin with from two-tenths to six-tenths per cent. ofphosphorus, or five and ahalf to six and a half per cent. of tin withamaximum quantity of threetenths per cent. of phosphorus, the remainderof the alloy being copper.

These wires are particularly well adapted to the support of conductorsof insuflicient tensile strength, and, as such supports, may beinsulated from the conductors, as in telegraph cables, or may be inmetallic contact with conductors.

I claim as my invention--- In --testimony whereof I 4 have signed my 1.Telegraph wire of alloys free from oxides, name to this specification inthe presence of and composed of copper with from two to five twosubscribing witnesses. and a half per cent. of tin. 'O. J. A. DICK.

2. Wire for telegraph purposes composed of phosphorized alloys of copperand tin, re- Witnesses:

stricted to the proportionssubstantially as WM; A. S'IJEEL,

described. HARRY W. DOUTY.

